


The Boy Who Picked Up His Feet to Fly

by PerfectHairKirk



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-24
Updated: 2013-08-31
Packaged: 2017-12-24 08:57:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/938060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerfectHairKirk/pseuds/PerfectHairKirk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Between coming back to life and going into deep space for five years Jim thought he had it good, that is until experiencing strange pains in his upper back, having vivid dreams about flying , and not to mention waking up with golden feathers in his bed. And now Spock is determined to find what Kirk's problem is, but will it be to big for the both of them to handle it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The Boy Who Picked Up His Feet to Fly

Chapter 1

It was months after the Khan incident, everything in life was going well. It was as if the causalities of Khan had never happened, that the hundreds of people killed where just a thing of the past. Everything was fine, the Enterprise was up and ready to go on to it's five year mission into deep space. And Khan, well he was in cryosleep and that's all that mattered especially to James Tiberius Kirk, personally he wanted the superhuman dead and gone, but the of course he had no say in the matter. Now they were a few months into there five year mission and Jim was happy to have nothing strange happening so far. Well that is until a few weeks ago.

Jim now, having Khan's superhuman blood swimming in his system was a facing a few problems. It wasn't a feeling of murder or genocide, but more of aches and pains, especially the muscles in his back between his shoulder blades. Usually he tended to ignore the pain knowing that it would disappear sometime later, this time it was striking, throbbing pain that shook his very core in which even he couldn't ignore. So he kept a mask trying not to worry the crew and his friends, Jim rather not have people coddling him like he was a baby, which he was not. At all.

Sitting in the captain's chair during the Alpha shift of yet another day in deep space, they were near the Butterfly nebula on their way to an uncharted system to find anything interesting to report back to Star Fleet. Jim shifted feeling more uncomfortable than usual. It was a strange feeling, almost like something was to rip out of his back. Plus the strange dreams of flying above the Iowa blue sky and the golden feathers he found when waking up was not freaking weird enough, but hey like Bones had said crazy shit was Jim's specialty. Hearing the soft hiss from the opening doors Jim looked over to find his first officer Spock walking in ready for his shift. Now him and Spock were on better terms much to Jim's amusement, he guessed once you died and came back it could change people, even a stiff Vulcan like Spock.

As Spock walks in he scans the room as if he expects something to be horribly wrong. When nothing has failed to be anything less than perfect, he finally looks down where Jim is sitting, who turns as if he feels Spock's eyes on him and gives him a tight smile.

"Captain." the Vulcan monotones, unable to find curiosity in why Kirk looked distracted. Perhaps he is irritated with something, but Spock doesn't give the idea another thought as he crosses the bridge and slides down into the seat beside Uhura. As long as Kirk is not actively attempting to cause himself bodily harm, Spock finds it easy not to think about him more than strictly professional.

As the shift begins Jim keeps his attention to his crew, nothing special was exactly happening, the bridge was painstaking quiet everyone doing their duty which was good. The steady hum of the Enterprise's engine makes everyone relaxed and calm , the only noise to be heard was Uhura's perfectly manicured nails on her PADD and Sulu quietly drumming his fingers against the chair as he watches over the navigations with Chekhov, who is speaking quietly to him; the barely audible whirr of the radiation scanner that Uhura constantly watched to keep a look out for anything floating in space.

But Jim couldn't keep his mind in focus, the small pricks of pain when he shifted in or tried to lean back into the captain's chair(It was unusual because it was pretty damn comfortable if Jim didn't say so.). He closed his eyes for a minute trying to focus on something else rather the throbbing pain in his back, particularly in the gap between his shoulder blades. Jim gave out a sigh opening his eyes trying to find a comfortable position without feeling any discomfort.

Spock on the other hand enjoyed the silence, in fact the Vulcan almost counts on hearing every time he steps onto the bridge, and when it's interrupted by a faint sigh coming from behind him Spock turns, looking over his shoulder at his Captain. The blonde is slouched in his seat, which is not unusual since Kirk tends to use the captain's chair as an Terran sofa instead of a symbol of power much to Spock's dismay. There was a slight tension on Kirk's face, the small grimace over his lips as if he is aware of something that the others aren't. Standing up, he crosses the room to stand behind Kirk's chair, placing a hand on the back of the white metal seat and leaned forward.

"Are you alright?" Spock asks softly eyes flicking between the Captain's shoulder and the stars flying past them through the window.

Jim almost jumps at Spock's soft, monotone voice. Damn Vulcan Ninjas Jim thinks rubbing his face. He turned his head to look up at Spock seeing the familiar raised brow, it was almost like his thing, no one could do it better than the Vulcan himself. He had seen Chekhov try and imitate it and that was funny as hell seeing the curly haired Russian trying to be like the Vulcan.

"M fine, just a little sore." Jim says seeing the small hidden delight in Spock's eyes when the Vulcan got the jump on his captain. Who knew Vulcan's could be so smug?

"You always complain when you are sore Captain." Spock counters. "Loudly." It was not quite that bad, but Kirk certainly feels the need to talk about whatever he has to talk about, and when they all live together on a star ship flying through space, things rarely change at a pace rapid enough for Jim, so Spock contented himself with comment on every small detail that crossed his path.

Jim is taken aback at this and gives Spock a 'Wow fuck you too buddy' look. Can a guy get any support here or what? "Excuse me? I do not complain loudly. Do I?" He glances at the crew only to get short nods and shared glances.

"Thanks for the backup guys." He muttered taking his glance back at Spock, "You asked what was wrong, and I told you. End of story." He said giving a slight eye roll hearing the crew snicker a bit at the small quarrel between their commanding officers. It was like this everyday, either Spock and Bones, Jim and Bones, Spock and Jim, or all three.

"Captain, I asked you for an answer and you gave me and excuse." Spock huffs, ignoring the small giggle to his left. "Captain for the sake of professionalism, please convey why you are in pain." The Vulcan turns his voice into a quiet hiss, audible for Kirk only.

Jim glanced at him and huffed feeling like a child being scolded. "My back hurts okay? I probably slept wrong, There you happy? Now if you please, return to your station. That's an order." Jim snapped looking at Spock with a frown on his face. He didn't mean to snap, but God almighty even if he was a Vulcan Spock sure could be an asshole at times. It wasn't a big problem, Jim could easily solve the problem at the end of is shift. It wasn't exactly warp science to rid of sore muscles.

Spock merely just raises a brow keeping back a retort so he just gives a short nod. "My apologies then." he says shifting his weight from where it had to be resting on the back of Jim's chair to his won feet, skirting around the bridge and back to his seat easily. Clearly it was something more, but Spock wasn't about to comm the Medical Bay because the captain was sore, so he does his best to put it out of his mind as he slides his hand over the console in front of him, eye glancing over as if Uhura would ever miss a beat beat because he wasn't there, even though he knew she wouldn't.

There is an air of uncertainty that Spock can not say he enjoys, but there is nothing to be done about it at the moment, so he lets it go until the end of his shift, at which point he follows Kirk off of the bridge, ignoring the frown Uhura gives him. "Captain, the last time you had any sort of physical brawl was approximately one hundred and ninety two hours ago, which occurred on the planet Ph'la, and accompanied by zero physical causalities towards you: And I am aware that your pain tolerance is to high for 'sleeping wrong', so with all due respect sir I must inform you that I will follow in your footsteps and do my best to force you into naming yourself unfit for your duties unless you tell me what is wrong."


	2. Angel of the Enterprise?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda fucked up and placed the third chapter instead of the second. Sorry about that!

Now James T. Kirk wasn't usually the one to get angry and start throwing shit, no that was Bones' job. He was more of the snapping and breaking you down to size when you got him angry, which was a very very hard thing to do. But when Spock came and stopped him on his way to the turbolift Jim wanted to straight up punch the Vulcan in the face. Break his fucking nose at least. It was worst to have him quipping at every order Kirk gave, but to have him follow you around like a hawk, a Vulcan hawk at that matter? Now that was plain frustrating. But on another circumstance Jim would of told the Vulcan to fuck off, or something, but the blonde was exhausted. All he wanted to do was take a nap.

Turning his head to the first officer he saw the soft glare, Jim rubbed the back of his neck trying to figure out what to say as an excuse to get away from Spock. But he knew that Spock wouldn't leave until he got what he wanted. Jim heaved out a melodramatic sigh walking down the hallway.

"Spock seriously I am fine. You don't have to-" Jim choked on the words feeling a sharp stab of white hot pain burst through his back. He felt his knees buckle as the waves upon waves hit him, each at it's own intensity. It was as if something was trying to rip through his skin.

In a flash Spock is down on his knee's in front of Jim, eying him for only a moment before hauling him upwards wrapping his arms around the blonde's torso and the back of his knees. Great the Vulcan was carrying him bridal style, could this day get any worse?

There was a passing cadet who's face goes from a poorly withheld snicker to slightly panicked as she see's her captain's face. "Comm Medical." Jim hears Spock says his calm voice ringing in his ears. It was like he was underwater everything slow and sluggish. The only thing he could feel was the intense pain that made his eyes water and grit his teeth.

Jim glances over seeing the young cadet, what was her name again? Pathe? Parner? Ah Parker, that was it. He remembered her, one of the fresh cadets that he had forced Spock to come and hand pick their new members of the crew. Huh, maybe after this she could be his yeoman or something. She calms down after hearing Spock's words, something on the lines of 'You're captain is in pain, don't fuck this up.' She quickly nods brushing some of her dark hair as she quietly speaks into the comm.

Jim feels himself being moved and the next thing he knew he was in the Sickbay and Bones was waiting for him. He looked grim only stirring into motion once he see's Jim in the Vulcan's arms. He and Spock place Jim on his oh-so-favorite bio-bed, damn he hated these things. Bones quickly went into 'doctor mode' getting his supplies at ready.

"Damn it Jim could you stay healthy for one damn day? Is that too much to ask? Why is it always you're ass in my sickbay huh? You have a thing for making me stressed?! I'm getting grey hairs you know!" Bones grumbled as he lifted the scanner over Jim's forehead. Based on the scanner his temperature was skyrocketing. "Fucking kid."

Jim gave a light chuckle looking up at the doctor tiredly, "Aww come on Bones ya know you enjoy my company." He gave a slight shrug, but winced at the agonizing pain that rippled through his back.

Bones rolls his eyes in response nearly wanting to slap the kid silly, "God damn it, stop talking. You're giving me a headache. Now shut up and tell me where it hurts."

The blonde gave out a sigh, was everyone against him? Sure he might of just passed out, but he was fine. Totally fine. But his back said otherwise, he let out a choked gasp gripping the metal biobed tightly. "Bones...Bones oh god. My back, take the shirt off take the shirt off!" Jim cried his jaw clenched and eyes shut.

Bones quickly rushed to Jim's side carefully pulling the two layers of shirts with the help of Spock. The doctor had to blink at least several times to see if it was real, "Holy shit...Pointy ya seein' this?!" He asked his voice barely a whisper.

Spock leaned in a brow raised, "..While I see it, I am not positive that I understand." He intones to the doctor in just a low voice.

Carefully McCoy runs a finger down Jim's shoulder blades seeing two long gashes both identical in size and length. But the thing that had thrown the doctor off was what was coming out if the gashes. Feathers, fucking feathers. They were small, blood stained feathers, Bones reached for them finding out that they were oily yet..soft. Holy fuck...their captain was growing wings?! McCoy sucked in a breath not really knowing what to do. How could he? It was fucking wings for Christ's sake, Bones didn't know a single things about birds.

"He's growing wings, how the fuck is that possible?" Leonard hissed seeing that Jim just looked forward his eyes shut and fingers clenching the biobed tightly.

"Is there any way too...find out where they are from?" Spock asks, painfully aware of just how over his head he is in this situation. Scientifically, there is no obvious explanation for the Captain to be suddenly growing wings, but perhaps McCoy will be able to come up with something.

Bones gave out a deep sigh, leave it to Jim to have something crazy happen to him."That I don't know, I'll have to have a sample of Jim's blood and maybe study the feathers or something. God I don't know, I'm a doctor not a damn zoologist." Bones cursed under his breath, this was the craziest shit Bones had seen coming from Jim, and that was saying something.

Speaking of Jim at the moment there was a soft rip of the skin as the wings continued to slowly and painfully push their way out of Jim's skin. Jim gave out a whimper gripping the table harder, his knuckles white and face contorted in pain. "Oh god Bones, it hurts what the hell is wrong with me?" Jim asked his voice soft, but filled with pain.

"How big do you estimate..?" Spock suddenly wonders just how big these wings will grow. They could grow to the size of an earth bird, or perhaps wings big enough to support Kirk's own weight, but that would be something to the approximate twenty feet across. They need to move him somewhere bigger at some point. Spock pulls out of his thoughts hearing the soft pained whimpers from his captain. He frowns, looking to McCoy in hopes that he could somehow make the Captain stop feeling the need to continue such pathetically pained noises.

McCoy's eyebrows are furrowed together, but he glances around when Jim pipe's up and pops open a hyprospray, rubbing alcohol over the exposed jugular of his neck before sticking the slim needle into his skin, a soft hiss audible as the painkiller seeps into his system.

As soon the hypo was pushed into Jim's skin he felt his muscles relax and loosen. The pain was slowly ebbing away, but there still was a small throb coming from his back. Jim couldn't think straight his heart was beating rapidly like a drum echoing in his ears. Hearing the ripping noise continuing Jim felt his eyes get heavier and soon he was knocked out his cheek hitting the bed before he could even ask what the hell was going on.

Rubbing the back of his neck Bones tilted his head to analyze the two cuts on Jim's back. He turned to Spock to answer his question. "No doubt they will be big enough to support his own weight, but I don't know one can only guess when your captain just suddenly begins to grow wings."

"Will there be room for them to grow more in here?" Spock says, and he doesn't need to glance around to know that his question is completely already answered. "Perhaps there is a way to..as one would say...'cut them down'?"

Bones looked at the Vulcan in shock and pure anger. "Oh, oh yeah let's definite do that. Are you out of you're god damn Vulcan mind? How about I cut your ears down for size? Hm? Hm exactly doesn't sound so good, so I suggest ya shut yer gob and think of a better idea." Bones huffed beginning to pace around.

Spock is a bit unfazed by McCoy's outburst, but it was logical to defend one's friend. Spock did not mean any harm, he just wish to...as Kirk would say 'throwing out ideas'. Watching McCoy pace around Spock glances at Kirk who is on his stomach the twin rips beginning to tearing, drops of blood forming around the cuts before gathering and slipping down the tan sides, staining the white sterile sheets red.

"Surely there is some sort of explanation for this." Spock says after a beat, more to himself then for McCoy as he crosses his arms over his chest.

The doctor stops pacing for a bit and gives a shrug,"When you find the answer tell me." He walks over his hand on his chin clearly in thought. "You think his quarters is big enough? I don't want to have to deal with two twenty foot long wings knocking over shit." Bones glances at the kid seeing the first layers of pin feathers beginning to appear. "We better hurry, ya think ya can lift the kid? I'll cover his back, no doubt Jim would like some privacy, rather not have the crew gossip about this.

"The Captain's quarters would be ideal." Spock says , barely having to think over yr decision for more than a second. His and Kirk's cabin's are the same size and layout, and while they are not copiously lavished, they would certainly hold a twenty foot-something foot wingspan better than the medical bay.

"It would be wise to attempt to relocating him now, unless you have an objection." The Vulcan tells McCoy looking away from the oozing gashes in Jim's back. McCoy nods, but he has a feeling that blood loss will become a factor at some point.

"Hate t'say it, but you are correct." McCoy says with a huff that could be out of amusement or exasperation.

Spock gently propped up Kirk one arm around his torso the wrapped beneath his knees. The white sheet was wrapped around the blondes body covering the wings that were beginning to form. Spock narrows his eyes slightly, following the sadly well-known path from the medical bay to Kirk's quarters.


	3. Aerodynamics

Getting the biobed to Kirk's quarters was faster than Bones expected it to be. The hallways were surprisingly vacant, no doubt something was going on in the rec room or whatever, good thing too Bones rather not have to explain why their captain was in the hobgoblin's arms with a blood stained sheet stretched over him. Opening the door Bones allowed Spock to go through first, with a curt nod he gestured the Vulcan to place Jim on the bed on his stomach knowing that those wings were ready to pop out at anytime.

"Careful." Bones said wanting to chew on his fingernails when Spock slowly slid Jim on the bed, god this was nerve-racking.

In other situation Spock would of smirked at the doctor, would of bitten out a sarcastic remark, but this was as important to the Vulcan as it was to McCoy, he doesn't want Jim to get hurt. The Vulcan worms his arms out of Jim's underside. "How long will it take for him to wake up?" He questions, adjusting Kirk's pillow under his head, Spock made sure the captain would be comfortable and not too cramped or numb anywhere when he did wake up.

McCoy just merely shrugs glancing at Jim who looks as peaceful as a child would. His face was clear, no longer clenched in pain, small breaths made the blonde's chest rise slowly up and down. With the ever growing wings he looked like a bloody fallen angel. "Maybe an hour tops, but we need to get these damn wings out before we can do anything." He said grabbing a chair and sitting down rubbing the back of his neck.

Spock perches on the corner of Kirk's bed watching his Captain with a sort of quiet regard as he breaths in and out, each easy breath causing the already wobbling beads of blood to slip down to his sides, joining other tracks of the red substance in a gruesomely artistic way. "Get them out?" The wings don't appear to be growing still. Most likely they are still moving, still ripping parts of Kirk's skin and stretching muscles.

"Yes get them out, if they continue to come out like this Jim won't have a fucking back." Bones says walking over to the side of Jim grabbing a cloth from his med-kit and gingerly wiping the stray droplets of blood. When the cloth just barely touches the smallest of the wing that is peeking its way out fluttered as if it was trying to protect its owner in anyway. Bones pulled the cloth back tilting his head in confusion. "God could this get any weirder?" He mutters tossing the cloth onto the chair thinking of other ways to get the damn things out of Jim's back.

"Perhaps they will not..." Spock trails off after seeing the small wing flutter and try to push its way out even further. It would be accurate to even truthfully say that everything evolving James T. Kirk didn't make a turn for the worst. Of course the wings would end up hurting him more than anything else; the light colors feathers were already causing the twin slashes to grow long even that the rivulets of blood to form in the small of Kirk's back instead of dripping down to the sides.

The two stood in silence thinking hard and long on how the fuck they would be able to help Kirk in any way. Blood was now everywhere on Kirk's back making it look like he was being bathed in the stuff. Breaking the tense silence there was a gruesome click from Kirk and his back buckled upward his face twisted in some sort of pain. But it wasn't possible, he was sedated. "Spock take his other shoulder! I have a feeling something is going to happen!" Bones shouted rushing to Jim's side grabbing his shoulder.

Spock is already there, but he is glad McCoy is here, the Vulcan would have little knowledge of what to do. As he wraps one hand around Jim's bicep he is bombard with waves of pain coming from the blonde, though it seemed fuzzy Spock was sure Jim could still feel it. Raising his shields he pressed his other hand on Jim's shoulder where there wasn't any immediate slashes or injury to hold him down when McCoy darts to his other side. A terrible slick, wet noise that Spock doesn't think he will forget for a while is heard and with a shift he's sprayed with a line of warm blood which has been dislodged by what now presumably is a much larger wing. It is the color of Jim's hair, making it look like it almost belongs with him instead of some sort of invasive, avian parasite that's grown through his back.

McCoy gives out a disgusted choking noise wiping the blood on his face with the back of his hand. Looking up with his mouth agape he sees twin bloody blonde wings folding out of Jim's back. It was a sick, yet beautiful sight as the wings slowly fanned out to the ceiling curling on the edges as they did so. The wings were sticky and wet having blood and hunks of tissue embedded in the golden feathers.

"Holy fuck." Bones says blinking several times just to see if he wasn't having a dream. "God damn I need a fuckin' drink." The wings give a small flap before folding beside Jim covering him like a thick bloody, feathered blanket.

The first thing Spock realized was that they were enormous. The Vulcan doesn't want to give an estimate because he doesn't think he truly wishes to know, but they seemed to be along Doctor McCoy's estimation when they stretched out, but in another second they have folded in neatly around their new owner. Spock's own thoughts seem to echo McCoy's thoughts as he releases Kirk slowly, eye roaming over the clumped gold, feathers, that were actually a darker brown on the to, only flecks of gold showing on outside while pure white on the inside.

"They must of have grown...Upon making they're way out of the Captain's body." Spock says after a beat, curious despite himself of how this would all play out.

"Damn it why didn't the kid say anything?! Fuck!" McCoy growled, his mind was in-between the emotions of anger and shock, seriously if Jim had fucking wings growing inside of him the kid should of told somebody. God Jim was a handful.

"Alright, let's get Captain Featherbrain all cleaned up." He tossed a cloth to Spock and got one for him as well. "Might wanna clean yer face, got something here." He gestured to his own cheek and then began to work.

Spock silently agrees with the doctor that perhaps it would have been easier if Kirk had mentioned something about the wings he was apparently harvesting avian attributes inside his body. Perhaps. He is still staring at the wings when McCoy starts to speak, and it only when he's tossed a soft white cloth that he snaps his eyes away from Kirk, barely catching the damp piece of cloth before it hits his chest. He rubs his palm over his face, and it comes off dotted with dark red blood, but he lets it go for now, he will clean up when they are sure Kirk isn't going to grow any more appendages. The Captain's new set of wings brush over him slightly as they can, not quite fitting all the way and having to curl around the edges of the room as Spock begins to gently rub along the line of soft primary feathers with Kirk's skin careful not to actually make contact.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Three bloody rags later Bones and Spock cleaned Jim's bag and wings. It was strange, as Bones was working the two gashes that the wings created when they ripped out were healing very rapidly all by themselves. He glanced over when they finished seeing two twin scars showing where the wings came out. Nothing more, nothing less. 'Well things just got even more complicated.' He thought bitterly picking up a tricorder scanning the angel-boy.

Seeing that the wings were cleaned they fluffed up as if to show off. How freaky it was that even when Jim was not exactly with them at the moment his wings were still moving, almost like they were connected to his brain. Bones checked the scanner once more before sitting back down. His eyes widened giving a double-take at the readings. "Well shit, damn it why didn't I see this?! Jim's muscle and bone mass are declining and declining fast."

The Vulcan snaps his head up when McCoy begins to mumbling, and he steps over to him when he begins to look concerned. "How fast?" He asks, doing his best to keep the worry out of his voice when he looks over the doctor's shoulder at the triocorder, but it did not show anything that McCoy hadn't said.

Bones took a glance at Spock and the back at the scanner, "Pretty damn fast, at this moment he has lost about ten percent of bone mass, fiver percent muscle and shit...he lost over 20 pounds." Bones took in a deep breath looking at Jim, you could already see the damage. It was as if someone was sucking the entire life out of him. He was nearly as lanky as Spock was, looking like a damn malnourished teenager all awkward and thin. Like when he woke up from his coma after the radiation core...but it wasn't even this bad. Adding the giant wings to the mix it made the blonde look even smaller more...daintier? Like a freakin' angel.

Breaking the silence of the two men thinking Jim gave out a soft moan shifting a bit. The doctor glanced at Spock before shifting his eyes to Jim. Jim moved softly and quietly turning from his back to his side, his wings maneuvering so they stayed still behind him folded neatly. He blinked open his eyes to find Spock staring at him. On impulse Jim tried to cover his bare chest by grabbing the blankets. What the hell? What was going on? Why were they in his room? Had he fainted or something?

"Bones? Spock? The hell are you doing in my quarters?" Jim asked his eyes wide and voice rough and harsh from lack of use.


	4. Skyward

Spock tilts his head slightly, watching Kirk in almost as much the Captain appeared to be in. Kirk's face looked the same, but his chest and arms that he attempted to cover were wiry and thin, looking completely different from how they...well from how they supposed too.

Spock frowns, tearing his eyes away from Kirk and barely looking over his wings- which had accustomed to his movement and shifted slightly so he wouldn't lay on top of them- before looking back to McCoy. Turning, so his back is facing the Captain, he leans towards the doctor slightly so his words cannot be heard; it's not as if Kirk won't be told that he has two wings on his back , but it may alarm him to hear about it before learning the whole story, and Spock wants to avoid that that if at all possible. A panicked Captain with twenty foot wings wasn't something they needed on their hands right now or ever. "Whatever...parasite this is apparently changing him so he is fit to fly." He murmurs.

Though whispering was in vain because Kirk heard it all of it and he raised his brows to his hairline. "Parasite? Fly? What the fuck is going on?! Answer me damn it!" Jim shouts getting up out of the bed only to wobble from the lack of weight he was now no longer carrying. His wings fanned out flapping all over the place breaking items left and right. He stumbled to the side holding on a desk. Bones rushed to Jim's side seeing the blonde having trouble breathing. "Hey hey calm down, calm down. Breathe...that's it. It's okay Jimmy. You're fine, just breathe." Bones said gently guiding Jim back to the bed, the kids blue eyes widened in panic.

"What..what the hell is going on here?" Jim asked grabbing a wing and inspecting it. It was defiantly his, and this was /not/ a dream. He had wings, what the hell was going on here?!

Spock winces slightly when Jim does exactly what he had fighting against, but the doctor calms him down quickly, and the only causality was a lamp, picture frame, and some objects no doubt of any importance. His golden-brown wings shudder and flap before finally folding hesitantly, curling over his shoulders slightly as they go. Memory loss shouldn't be an after-effect of the sedative, even being disoriented shouldn't last this long.

"What do you remember?" McCoy asks, quirking his eyebrows up at Jim like he better cowboy up and tell them the truth this time.

"I remember being tired and sore, I was heading to bed, but Spock stopped me. Then something happened and now I'm here. What the hell is happening? Why do I have wings for Christ's sake?" Jim asked feeling his wings shift ruffling up in Jim's panic. Huh, it was strange having new appendages on his back. It felt like they belonged there and were connected to him. He looked up at Spock seeing dark red blood smeared on his face, "Why is there blood on his face?" He hated feeling of being in the dark. He was a big boy, he could handle it.

Spock's frown deepens slightly and he reaches up to wipe the spot where Kirk had been staring with his sleeve, which comes back with dry, cracked blood that turned the blue sleeve purple.

"Well not that you were any help figuring it out, but for the past week you'v apparently been growing these." McCoy gestures with a sort of grim amusement towards Jim's wings with his chin, frowning at the kid, who was glaring between the two as if they were the ones who had planted the damned things in him. "We don't know what exactly caused this shit, but so far..they don't seem to be hurting ya."

Jim sucks in a breath rubbing his face before pushing the golden feathers away from his face. They were soft, Jim could tell you that, almost like a cloud in a..feathery sort of way. "So what? I have a parasite growing in me that gave me wings? How's that even possible?"

Bones shrugged, "Who knows. With you it could be anything. What did I tell you Jim? What did I say? When things like this /happen/ tell somebody! And what did you do? The exact opposite! Fucking swear Jim, I swear." The doctor took a deep breath trying to relax himself, "Look Ill get a sample of your blood as well as some feathers. It should try and help me get to the bottom of this."

Jim nodded giving out a sigh used to Bones' outburst by now. Watching Bones rummage through his med-kit the blonde saw the doctor take out a needle and walk towards him. Shuddering as the needle pricked his skin and dove deep into a vein, he watched the metallic red liquid fill up the clear part. After that Bones yanked a feather from the left wing and Jim wanted to cry out in pain.

"Ow! Ow! Bonessss!" He whined rubbing the spot where Bones had yanked the feathers out. Bones just shook his head muttering the words 'God damn infant angel.' His wing throbbed, it felt like some one pulled on his hair but add five times the pain and that's how it felt.

Smirking slightly Spock watches the doctor -none but gently- all but yanks a feather out of Jim's wing, making the blonde recoil and rub against the sore spot as if to soothe it. The Vulcan wonders albeit idly how something so powerful as wings could be so sensitive, but he lets it go. Unfortunately, there are very few -if any- avian experts aboard the Enterprise, they're going to be forced to research and double research as well as cross reference and theorize over everything before they can make a move. He put it in back of his mind to get Doctor McCoy some sort of over-qualified assistant to help him when they return to Starfleet.

"Don't be such an infant , now stay here. I mean it kid, you move one step out of this room I will pull every single feather and then sow them back on." Seeing Kirk pale visually Bones smirked and turned his attention to Spock. "Hobgoblin, your job is to keep hm here. Comm me if something strange happens...well stranger than this. I gotta go and fix your shit up once again Jim. Be good Featherbrain." Bones grabbed his bag patting Jim on the shoulder and nodded to Spock.

"Featherbrain? Oh haha real good one there Bones." Jim muttered shifting upwards so his head leaned against the headboard, his wings wrapped around him.

Spock suddenly understands the need that Uhura feels to roll her eyes at the Captain as Kirk grumbles half-heatedly in the direction of the doctor's receding back. Instead he tucks his hands behind his back and digs his fingernails into his palms to give him something to focus on beside the wings curled around Kirk.

"Do they hurt?" He finds himself asking after a minute, too bored to resist some sort of stimuli that wasn't the blunt physical pain in his hand. "Your wings."

Jim glances up giving a shrug, "Not really. It sorta feels natural, like t belongs there." He watches Spock seeing how uncomfortable he was. He was tempted to tell Spock to touch his wings, but that would seem weird wouldn't it? So he clears his throat saying, "They're soft...like a cloud." He sneezes softly as the feathers brush against his nose.

"Thought it was back pains, thought it didn't matter...turns out out it's fucking wings growing underneath my skin." Jim curses underneath his breath, maybe he should of told Spock or Bones about the feathers in his bed or full aching pain that bristled between his shoulder blades.

"Yes I believe we have already covered the agreement that the Captain of our ship is incredibly...'thick headed' to loosely quote Doctor McCoy." In truth the doctor had said something more on the lines of 'fucking bone-headed asswipe of a kid', but Spock felt no need to quote him quite so explicit. "But seeing you only /collapsed/ upon getting off your shift, I suppose you were correct about it not mattering." The Vulcan does not bother to try to check his sarcasm this time as he watches Kirk stare down at the dark brown feathers that curved over his shoulder.

"Look, I'm sorry it's my fault. I know that." Jim says softly his brows furrowed and feathers ruffled in slight anger. They fanned out and covered Jim as if to protect him. He sighed pushing the wings away, forcing them to fold behind him. He felt a pang of guilt and worry hit his heart, he was being stupid and hardheaded like Spock has said. It was all true. "I'm sorry okay..."

"You had no qualms telling anyone when your skin began to peel and turn into scales, as I recall." Spock growls, as Kirk tucks his wings behind him, clearly beginning to regret the whole thing. But Spock is still thrown off, he is tired of Jim thinking that none of his crew cared about him enough to mention things like this; Especially when it continued to happen. "Your closest friend is a doctor Captain, at least you could of spoken to him," He continues unlacing his hands from behind his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Jim winces at every word Spock throws at him. It was like a hard blow to the stomach or a stab to the heart, and it hurt even more because it was true. He wasn't used to having a real family, his mother left for space and one day she never came back, his step-father was abusive and cruel, and Sam, his brother, left after high school leaving a nine year old alone with a drunken man. He grew up defending himself, fighting for survival, depending only on him. Even when shipped to Tarsus IV he was still having to survive. So it was hard to tell his problems or that he was hurting. "Sorry." He just says after Spock is done talking. He had his head bowed and his wings drooped, its tips hitting the floor.

This time Spock does roll his eyes, but mainly because Kirk can't actually see him when he does so. It's harder to watch the Captain look like a kicked Sehlat with the added wings. Spock thinks, because the wings are just another way to express whatever emotion Jim is having. Wincing slightly, he struggles to hold his resolve before caving after barley 15.67 seconds. "Just remember next time something of this irregularly happens that me or McCoy are here. We wish to help you Jim." he says after a beat.


	5. Laws of Physics

Jim blinked at the soft tone Spock murmured just nodding not daring to look into Spock’s eyes. He really needs to get out of this bed, his muscles where sore and tense. Spock’s words echoed in his mind but he decided that he would follow the Vulcan’s advice. He needed to stop being focused on surviving and instead focus on living to the fullest. Finally decided that Jim needed to get the hell out of this damn bed he carefully pulled the blankets off sliding off the bed. This time he wasn’t in panic failing all about, but he still wobbled a bit. He felt lighter for a bit his wings fanning out catching his failing balance. The blonde glanced down noticing that his pants and shirt size was at least two sizes too big. He was practically drowning in the things. What? 

“Great, now I gotta get new pants? I liked these pants!” Jim sighed rubbing his face almost tripping on his discarded blanket making him fall into Spock’s hard chest. Jim glanced at Spock his face red. “Shit sorry! Did you get shorter or something?”

Spock watches mildly as Jim starts to slide out of the bed; the Captain knew he wasn’t supposed to go anywhere and the Vulcan could estimate his speed would far surpass Kirk’s, at least until he grew accustomed to his new form. It isn’t until the Captain loses his balance and falls face first into Spock that the Vulcan moves grabbing his sides thankful to have his shields up at the time. “Your entire body has changed to make you fit for flying. That is what I was telling McCoy when you woke up.” He lets his hands linger on Kirk’s new body, his lanky tall form too odd to get used to. They were the same height now which meant Kirk had grown at least five inches when he’d lost all that muscle.

“Oh okay, birds have hollowed out bones to make them fly and be light. So…I’m guessing my bones are now hollow.” Jim said feeling his cheeks redden as he scooted away from Spock his wings brushing against the floor slightly ruffled. Jim knew a thing or two about birds, he had a bird at his grandmother’s and always used to study it. Jim shifted sitting down on the edge of the bed rubbing his hands across his thin arms feeling the tense whipcord like muscles. It was a strange feeling, he was used to having a decent amount of muscle but now he was no doubt skinner than Spock was, which was crazy.

“It is likely.” Spock says, tilting his head slightly when Kirk’s face heats up –just like it always did when Kirk got too close to him- and allows him to step away, perching almost weightlessly in the end of his bed, the mattress barely dipping in response. “Do you feel as if you could…fly?” It was illogical to test Kirk’s flight based on what he felt like, but the Captain always relied on how he felt more than what he knew, or at least that’s how he made it seem.

Jim glanced at his wings letting them fan out and give a small flutter. “I duuno maybe, I feel really light.” Jim replied crossing his legs allowing his wings to curl around hi,. “But not in this room definitely, too small I would hit them on the ceiling on the first flap. But it would be cool to fly.” Jim smiled feeling a bit excited, sure he had wings on his back that was supposedly a parasite of some sort, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t allowed to have fun of some sort.  
“Captain, your wings can barely stretch out without damaging something. I do not expect you to try.” Spock purses his lips together, but the amusement is still there, thinking of Kirk trying to fly about his cabin like one of the flighty earth finches in a Terrain city. He had never had any sort of interest in any sort of avian being, but he had to admit he was both impressed and intrigued by the wings that had torn their way out of the Captain’s back. There were so many debates going on back on Earth about sciences like this, that would allow you to combine human DNA with other species, but it was barely more than a wish for all the theories and hypothesis.  
Jim gave out of a hum rolling his stiff shoulders. It would be awesome to fly, to soar in the sky, to be free. It was funny all his childhood he watched birds wishing that he could be up there and be free. Well now he had wings that ripped none too gently out of his back. The wings fluttered at the thought making Jim smile and look up at Spock who was ramrod straight. “Sit down Spock, don’ t want you to get stiff or something. Go on.” Jim gestured to the chair next to him, giving a small smirk.

Kirk’s words made the Vulcan stir slightly, and he realizes he has been staring at the Captain with the sort of intensity that he only got when he began to try to outthink earth science-which was not too difficult-for the past two minutes at least, causing a pale green blush to creep over his features. “I am fine Captain.” Spock makes no move to sit down, he’d rather not have to deal with whatever that small curve of Kirk’s lips means. “And you should be the one to acquire some rest; you lost quite a bit of blood.”

The blonde huffed knowing it was no use to argue, but he wasn’t tired. He only felt stiff around his shoulders and arms, other than that he felt fine, great actually. He was about to open his mouth when a very pale doctor came into the room holding some papers tightly in his hand.  
“Bones? You okay?” Jim asked tilting his head, the doctor only shook his head running a hand through his hair cursing under his breath.  
“It’s Khan, Khan did this. You’re blood had a reaction and Khan just rearranged everything. I’m surprised you look the same and shit.”  
Spock had to stop himself from physically taking three steps back when McCoy makes out the second syllable in his entire sentence. No, no they had fixed that, they had frozen him and left him with Starfleet command, this shouldn’t be possible. But it was, Khan had always had that back cup plan, he had known they would have to use his blood on the Captain. There is a thick silence that falls over the room and it is all Spock can do repeating ‘that’s impossible’ like a mantra in his head.  
“Then we need to quarantine the Captain.” He says finally knowing it’s nowhere near a solution. “It will give us some time to find a way to reverse the sequence of amino acids in Jim’s genetic..” Spock trails off pinching the bridge of his nose. Khan. Spock wished he hadn’t let Uhura pull him away on the top of that transport.  
Bones shook his head sadly, ”Khan’s blood is like a damn cryptic code, I only just broke through the surface who knows what else is in Jim’s blood stream.” The doctor looked at Jim sadly who was pale and his wings dropped to the floor.  
Jim bit his lip, his eyes downcast, but then he looked up a determined look on his face. “Then try the best you can, I don’t care. We need to figure this out and we aren’t going to sit here and feel sorry for me. I’m fine sure I got skinner, taller and wings taped to my back, but I’m living, and I will keep on living until I say otherwise. So pleas, there is no reason to give up hope just yet. “ Jim told the two his voice strong and sturdy. He was telling the full on truth, he didn’t need for them to feel hopeless or depressed. He was James T. Kirk for god’s sake! He cheated death twice already and he wasn’t planning to go down without swinging.  
“With respect Doctor, my skills in genetics far surpass yours.” It was not an exaggeration or boast, Spock is just aware that statistically speaking he will struggle far less than McCoy going through Captain’s blood stream. Unfortunately, that would be the easy part, what will be hard is finding a way to get Kirk back to normal before Khan’s blood takes over too much. The Captain’s speech is sufficient, and Spock watches as the doctor slowly lets himself be reassured, if only by a fraction, but he thinks it was mostly unneeded. This is something the Vulcan can work with, something that isn’t so foreign. He didn’t wish to sit around and watch his Captain slowly fall to Khan’s grip. This is something they were all-however vaguely- prepared for in the science and medical fields down at Star Fleet command center. He most surely was not going to let this happen.

**Author's Note:**

> That's all for now, but don't worry I have things planned for the two~ I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and until next time. Oh this was once called Take to the Sky, but I like this title better.
> 
> PerfectHairKirk


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